


Dragon's Thorn

by MiruKonari



Category: Dragon Marked For Death (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:48:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 18,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23830327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiruKonari/pseuds/MiruKonari
Summary: Dragon's Thorn is a Dragon Marked for Death fanfic. It follows the tale of Lillain, an Empress(in-game class) in the wake of the destruction of her home and loss of everything but two goals: To get her vengeance upon those who destroyed her home and save the Oracle Amica! Gaining allies and foes alike along the way.This fic is rated M due to themes of violence, Nudity &; foul language.
Kudos: 8





	1. The First Thorn and an Eye Taken

It was a fine spring morning when the white-haired young woman set out from her village. The plan was simple. She was out to help with a small goblin issue that was encroaching on the village proper. She held her slim heirloom sword by the hilt, keeping it free from its sheath for ease of striking a potential ambush party. She probably looked peculiar to any passerby, since she was clad in a rather formal dress while wielding her weapon of choice. She was never that fond of dresses, finding them cumbersome. But her sister had always insisted she wear one and today she'd been particularly adamant.

That was because tonight they would feast with Lillain's fiancee and his family in celebration of their pending union. The two were betrothed from an early age, though it wasn't like they'd argue against it now. They'd bonded over the years, love blossoming slowly from the fertile grounds of friendship. So, of course, he was more than comfortable with her penchant for less frilly, more practical attire. His family, on the other hand, were more traditionally minded, to put it nicely. So she'd put up with the dress if only to keep things civil and see Alec smiling.

A small shriek drew Lillain from her thoughts as she found herself face to face with one of the pesky goblins. It held a lit torch aloft in spite of the soft glow of daylight around them. Lillain leveled her blade while the small goblin stammered "Y-You wouldn't hurt me! I-I haven't done anything!" "Not yet... Tell me, do you know of the band of your kin that has been terrorizing my people" "Ah! N-No! I don't know n-nothing about a plan to attack that village!"

Then it clasped its free hand over its mouth "Talk or I run you through..." Lillain commanded, glaring holes into the quivering goblin before her."T-They were going to head this way... I'm just a scout! I'll tell them not to go!" "And how can I trust you?" The goblin hesitated, trembling before opting to brandish his torch at her "Poor choice" Lillain uttered, dodging the assault, and driving her own blade into the goblin. It let out a pitiful noise and fell to the ground, it's torch snuffed by the dirt ground.

After withdrawing her blade and nudging the corpse for signs of life. Lillain took a moment to take stock of her dress. The hem lightly singed in a spot but otherwise fine. Still, she could hear Lica's lecture rising in her mind. She shook her head and scouted her surroundings. It was rather odd no other goblin had come to check on the fallen scout. She took a few steps forward before something whizzed past her head. Shit!

An arrow thudded into the ground not far behind her. _Archers!_ She rushed to the nearest cover as another volley of about six or seven arrows fell not far from where she once stood. Cautiously peeking from cover, she watched as a couple of the archers stepped forth from their cover. Both scanning for their target. She crept as stealthily as she could to the next bit of cover, keeping her footfalls as soft and silent as she could. The two caught on just as she narrowly made it safely behind the rock. Their arrows pitifully thudding against the stone

"Come out and die!" One cried and the other echoed after. Lillain snickered before dashing from cover, blade poised. She managed to cleave through the pair before they even managed to draw back their bowstring and lob fresh arrows. More enraged shouts drew Lillain to the rest and after a brief session of dodge and dash, she'd cleaved through the rest.

She wiped the sweat and spatter from her brow, then looked at her dress again. Now Lica was going to be beyond furious with her. Lillain could only scoff before turning and making her way back to the village. The images of her sister shouting while her fiancee tried to calm her and her brother snickered in the background or at least fought to stifle his snickering. Lica had always encouraged her to act like a housewife while Art had been more than willing to train with her in swordsmanship. It was hours of sparring with him that led to her proficiency in the skill. She was sure he'd be a great guardian and protector. Maybe even blessed by Atruum! She smiled to herself picturing her brother proudly bearing a gift from Lord Atruum, forgetting her previous concerns.

As she neared the village an oddly thick plume of smoke drifted her way. She sniffed the air and her gut churned. Something was definitely wrong. She picked up her leisurely gait slightly. Then a terrified scream rang out and her pace turned into a panicked rush. The voice sounded like Lica's!

And as she finally reached the village, she was greeted with the horrifying and distressing sight of homes alight and bodies strew about the grounds, bloodied and run through. She darted past them to her home, praying her fears were wrong.

To Lillain's horror, her fears were confirmed upon reaching her house. A band of vagrants clad in blue, white, and golden armor with a particular figure holding her sister aloft by her neck while the young woman struggled. Once Lica spotted Lillain she pitifully mouthed "Run Lillie!" before she tried to kick the one holding her. The figure holding Lica followed her gaze to the now enraged Lillain "Oh more filth has arrived..." Then the figure's hand crushed Lica's windpipe effortlessly before tossing her lifeless frame aside. Shock flashed across Lillain's face before she boldly rushed the figure with her blade drawn **"YOU SON OF A-!"**

Her furious cry cut by the figure slamming the hilt of their own blade into her gut. She coughed and sputtered, stumbling back before steadying and trying once more. This time she locked blades with the stranger, pressing hard against the opponent's blade with primal fury. She was bound and determined to shred the one who'd just slain her sister and likely slain everyone else in the village. Eventually, she was once more pushed back and the cycle continued for at least an hour. Each getting a few scrapes in on the other but it was clear the stranger withstood them far better than the now trembling Lillain. The exhausted tremors rocking her stance as she bravely tried to withstand one more strike.

But the figure did not come at her with the blade. Rather, they raised one hand and a small blade of light formed. Before Lillain could muster a half steady dodge, the blade planted itself in one of her eyes. A bloodcurdling cry escaped her as the stricken eyeball seemed to evaporate. Then one of the other figures called out "Captain Helevisa! We must go after the Oracle!" The figure Lillain had previously dueled was now softly scoffing before turning away whilst Lillain dropped to her knees before barely staving off a full forward collapse, burying her blade in the ground as support. She reached up and touched her face horrified before crawling over to Lica's body. She shook her as if expecting she was only playing dead. But there was no reply and Lillain let out a wail of despair as the ones behind it all long retreated. Now Lillain was alone and the only thing fueling her was the primal urge for vengeance...

Amidst her flurried thoughts a voice rang clear. _**Atruum!**_ _"Fear not my child! I will grant you the means to your vengeance so long as you do as I ask" "What do you require Lord Atruum?" "Save the Oracle Amica from the clutches of those Celestials" "Yes, Lord Atruum! You have my word!" "Then the contract is sealed!"_ And with that, her formerly battered right arm was consumed by the Dragon Scar. She now examined the strange appendage with apprehension then resolve. Something about it felt right. Now she would hunt down that rotten knight and save the Oracle Amica!

Or at least she would once she dealt with the resonating pain of her now hollowed socket. She scrounged the wreckage for herbs to dull the pain. Then she'd need to find a means of sealing the open socket and protecting it from infection. After an hour of searching, she came up empty-handed. She would need to travel elsewhere to find what she needed. But her body grew tired and soon she could barely keep her eyes open. The last thing she saw was the vague silhouette of someone approaching with an inaudible shout, surely drown out the rush of white noise as her consciousness drifted away...


	2. The Second Thorn and The Eyepatch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crucis the Shinobi arrives at the devastation and narrowly saves a wounded Lillain.  
> Now begins the budding partnership between the two. And Lillain receives her eyepatch.

Crucis had long left the village for the purposes of personal training. Though he'd kept correspondence with his family in his own way. But he'd recently grown homesick and a little concerned in the absence of letters. It didn't help he'd heard more rumors stirring of something nasty heading for the remaining Dragonbloods. So today he made his way back for the first time in years.

At first, the trip had been relatively uneventful. Skirmishes with local monsters were trivial at best. But as he steadily approached the outskirts, plumes of smoke wafted along with a sickening scent. That of burning human flesh and rot. His pace quicken with his pulse, praying to Atruum that someone had survived whatever had occurred.

Just as he'd found himself amidst the chaos' aftermath, he spotted a woman barely standing. Her clothes were shredded, her face stained with blood and she was barely supporting herself with a sword. Just as he'd called out to her to hang on, it seemed the last drop of consciousness left her. He rushed forward and caught her limp frame. He could feel her desperate breathing and blood from open wounds soaking into his own attire. "Just what happened while I was away?!" "The slaughter of our people by the wretched Divine Family" The voice of Atruum rang out in Crucis' head "Those bastards! Why would they do this?!" "It seems the seek the Oracle Amica for some vile purpose" "Damn it! I've got to stop them!" "Then I shall grant you the power to get your own vengeance in exchange for your aid in saving our dear Oracle" "I accept that deal" "Then our contract is sealed" And just as the Dragon scar consumed Lillain's arm, it overtook Crucis' legs. He adjusted to the change rather swiftly as he stood, still embracing the unconscious woman. It was only after the voice faded that it dawned on him he still had to help her.

Scanning the area, he found no buildings intact. Which meant he'd need to carry her elsewhere to treat her. He carefully readjusted his method of holding her to a bridal carry and made his way as swiftly as he could to the nearest shelter he knew of. All the while minding her breathing to make sure she remained alive...

* * *

Lillain awoke to the sensation of lying on a soft cushion. Her eyes adjusting to the dim light from a flickering source not far from her. _Was she dead? No, she couldn't be! Not after Atruum's words and gift!_ She attempted to sit up but her body quivered and gave up before she was even halfway upright. She groaned and reached up to touch her face with her right arm. Her hand was oddly textured now, a reminder it had become the Dragon's Scar. She felt the side of her missing eye and found the texture of cloth bandages. _Had someone found her? And they'd treated her wounds?_ She moved her hands over the rest of her frame, each wound bandaged "Uhn"

Then she spotted a figure stirring not far from where she'd been resting "Who's there?!" She uttered, defensive despite her weakened tone. The figure moved the candlelight towards themselves. Amethyst eyes stared her down "You're awake I see" the voice whispered. It's pitch and tone of a young man and as her eye adjusted, she could make out his lithe frame and the boisterous clump of white hair flowing from his head "C-Crucis?" "So you know my name..." "Only from the elders..." Hmn," He then reached his free hand out and touch her forehead "You fever has receded. Are you feeling better?" "M-Mostly...I think" "Still sore, right?" "Yeah..." "You'll recover soon enough... Try to get some more rest...?" "Lillain" she uttered, catching his cue "Lillain...Sleep well...We'll chat more in the morning" Lillain closed her eyes and tried to drift back to sleep.

* * *

_Lillain found herself in a field. Her favorite flowers blooming. In the distance, she could hear Lica and the others singing cheery tunes. She ran towards the sound with reckless abandon. Maybe it had all been some prolonged nightmare. Though the harder she ran the further the singing seemed to be. She pushed her body as hard as she could until she finally tripped and fell face-first into a dirt clearing. She pushed off the ground and looked up to see everyone encircling her with offered smiles. She rose to her feet and went to embrace Lica, who seemed to vanish before she could touch her. Then she tried for Art's shoulder, but he too slipped from her grasp. She tried to her parents and it was the same. The last one was Alec, who stood still beaming his brilliant smile. She finally managed to embrace someone and looked up from his chest, expecting him to still smile or say her name._

_Instead, she saw blood seeping from his mauled and mangled face. She pushed away with a terrified shriek and his body seemed to melt into a puddle. She then heard Lica's voice cry "Run Lillie!" before the vision of Lica's demise appeared before her once more. She rushed the attacker as she had before. But found herself being caught by the throat and-!_

* * *

Lillain shot bolt upright with a panicked cry of desperation before reality sunk in. She could feel the drip of cold sweat beading down her face, mingling with fresh hot tears from her lone good eye. She took a moment to steady her breathing before the touch of a hand to her back sparked a shock to her system "Ya' alright?" Crucis asked as he patted her shoulder "...Nightmare..." She uttered pitifully. Crucis nodded and continued trying to comfort her. A woman poked her head into the now properly lit room "What's going on in here?!" "Sorry ma'am, she had a nightmare" "Girl's voice could wake the dead... See that it doesn't happen again" Then she moved away from the doorway with some unpleasant slurs about Dragonbloods on her lips. Crucis rubbed his temples with his free hand while maintaining comfort for Lillain with the other. Lillain jerked her shoulders away not long after "anyway, where are we?" "At an Inn in the slums of Medius..." "Medius?!" Lillain would have shot completely out of bed had her sore muscles not fought against her. Crucis put a hand on her shoulder "Don't act rashly just yet... You're still recovering" "But that filthy Knight-Captain whatshername has to be here! And the Oracle too!" "Most likely, but you are in no shape to track either down" Lillain groaned and lay back down "So what now Crucis?" "We give you time to recover while I get intel on the Oracle's whereabouts..." "I want to help too!" She sputtered, flailing her arms. "But you still need to recov-"

His words were cut off by a right hook from Lillain "Stop saying that! I'm not a baby!" Crucis rubbed his sore cheek and glared her down "Yet you're throwing a tantrum like one...!" Lillain gulped "S-Sorry about that... and the punch..." She paused "It's just... I don't want to be idle while you do all the leg work, ya know?" Crucis nodded "Mayhaps we should both go and acquaint ourselves with the area" "Really?!" "...Yes, just mind your manners... We already aren't looked upon too fondly..." "So I noticed"

Then Lillain actually took a moment to look herself over and realized she was barely clad in undergarments. A sudden flush of embarrassed crimson hit her cheeks and she pulled the blankets to her chest. Crucis seemed unphased before uttering "Oh, right, you need clothes... I'll go fetch something" **"YOU SON OF A-!"** She slugged with another solid hook before he darted from the room. Leaving her to sit alone and fester in perceived humiliation.

He returned a while later with gear and left her to privately dress. The top, gauntlets, and leg gear all seemed practical albeit slightly garish. But the skirt with the oversized belt felt ridiculous. Still, she couldn't let his efforts go to waste. And upon putting it on, it actually felt right. Like it was tailor-made for her. Now she strode out of the room with her blade in a new sheath and rejoined Crucis in the Inn's lobby "So where to first?" "I have a connection with a man named Epos, I'm hoping he can advise us how to find the Oracle" "And maybe he knows where whatshername is!" "Would help if you remembered her name..." Lillain was too preoccupied snarling at the thought of her sister's murderer to even react. Crucis simply put the scarf he'd forgotten to leave in their room for her round her neck before walking away.

Lillain quickly tied the last present and swung it around before tailing after Crucis. It was in passing a mirror held by a woman that Lillain finally caught a glimpse of her face. Bandages tied neatly over her lost eye and round her head and a peculiar crown placed neatly above her bangs. She assumed the latter was more of Atruum's gift while the former must have been Crucis' handiwork. Still, the plain white bandages felt wrong with everything else. "Hey Crucis" "Hm?" "Could we maybe also... purchase me a proper eyepatch?" "I suppose... After our chat with Epos of course" "T-Thanks..." A level of self-consciousness welled in her as she silently followed the shinobi down the street and past a lift. A pair of knights sneered at them as they passed and Lillain had to restrain the impulse to cleave them in twain.

Crucis seemed unfettered as he led her further along and down odd trails of stairs to a spot where the scent of sewers violated their noses. Lillain tried not to make a scene of it as they approached a man with a strange bird. His shaggy hair obscuring most of his facial features and his feathered companion resting upon his shoulder despite him holding an open cage in his hand. Lillain hung back slightly, feeling on guard despite the man and Crucis acting rather lax "Good morning Epos" "Morning Dragonblood. Need something?" "I was hoping you had some intel about the Oracle I mentioned yesterday?" "The most I've heard is they took her to the upper city, presumably to the Divine King" "So how would we get up there?" "You passed the lift in coming here... But they aren't liable to let you just waltz up there as it stands now. You'll need to earn your way up helping residents down here. Get enough acclaim and they might let you-"

Lillain didn't wait for the rest of Epos' drawn-out exposition before trying to dart for the stairs. She wanted to get back to that lift, get after those rotten knights, and find the Oracle already. She was stopped by the painful jolt of her scarf being yoinked by Crucis "Forgive her... as you were saying?" "Uh, ya sure you should do that to your friend there?" Lillain fought her scarf restraint for a few minutes before stopping with a petulant huff "She's perfectly fine..." "O-Ok... Anyway, do odd jobs, earn respect and you'll get up there soon enough" "Thank you" then Crucis released Lillain's scarf and walked past her, heading back to the stairs. Lillain hesitated before turning to the birdman "Thanks for the info mister" "No problem lady Dragonblood" "Lillain... call me Lillain please" "Sure thing Lillain. Now you might want to catch up with your buddy"

Sure enough, Crucis was long out of sight now. Lillain bolted to the stairs before zooming up and scouting for Crucis. He was already waltzing past the lift again, arms behind his head, and with a relaxed gait that one might almost mistake his for a tourist. It slightly irked Lillain how casual he was acting. _Did he not care about their mission?_ She puffed before rushing after him, nearly tackling one of the lift guards in the process "Mind yourself filthy Dragonblood scum or I'll dispose of you properly!" Lillain stuck her tongue out before Crucis' calm voice uttered behind her ear "Come along Lillain" "Y-Yes sir... coming" She turned and grabbed hold of one of Crucis' hands, so she wouldn't lose him again "Sorry" she mumbled softly "It's fine. Just don't get them riled again or our hides may be on the line..." "...Right"

The two made their way back past the Inn, poking into other shops. In the smithy Lillain oggled swords and armor. And in the general store, it was the treats. Everything made her want to salivate a little, but she minded her manners while Crucis paid for necessities. Still, neither shop proved useful for obtaining her eyepatch. Though the general store lady seemed to imply there was another shop back down where Epos was. Though when Lillain pressed her for information, she clammed up. Still, it was their last stop. Lillain kept a respectful, if still hurried, pace as they made their way back. Down the stairs once more and on the opposite of where Epos idled stood a curious tent.

The pair entered and were greeted by an elderly gentleman with a seedy aura to him. He let them browse his wares and soon Lillain came across a fine black leathery eyepatch "How much for this?" She uttered presenting her prize "Normally a hundred thousand gold..." Lillain deflated however the man added "But consider it a gift... So long as you come back, that is" "Oh we'll definitely be back, right Crucis?" The shinobi silently nodded and the pair left with Lillain's prize in hand. She would need Crucis' help to put it on once they were back at the Inn.


	3. Third Thorn and the First Mission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crucis and Lillain go job hunting after a brief stop to put on Lillain's eyepatch.  
> Mana the Witch makes a brief cameo, then Crucis and Lillain go Ogre hunting.

Once back in their shared room, Lillain immediately plopped onto her bed and began removing Crucis's handiwork. Letting the ribbon of crimson tainted cloth fall into her lap, she gingerly touched the area. She found her eyelids to be sewn shut with neat precision. It was odd to feel the delicate ridges of each stitch under her fingertips. While it meant removal if she ever wanted to try a prosthetic, the closure of the wound was comforting at the moment. Crucis quietly observed her from the doorway "Did you-?" She asked turning to him and he nodded solemnly "It was one of the many tasks I undertook once we got here" He gestured to the room "Then were you the one who-?" "stripped you? No, that was left to a concerned woman who escorted us to this room..." he paused before uttering a little quieter " Not that there was much left of your garments when I found you" Lillain gave a half nod "So the bandages?" "Those were my doing... I've had practice" he uttered gesturing to his own wrappings. Lillain nodded with a slight smirk "Makes sense" She paused "So, would ya help me put this on? I feel a little awkward about it" "Certainly" he uttered as he crossed the room to her bedside "Scoot" he uttered and Lillain complied, making space on the bed.

Crucis settled next to Lillain and took the eyepatch from her. He then carefully unbuckled the clasp on the eyepatch band. He then motioned for her to turn around and she obeyed. He then carefully level the eyepatch in front of her face " Let me know when it's properly placed" He uttered as he slowly moved the patch towards her face. She reached out and guided the patch to the right spot before uttering "We've got it" Crucis nodded and slid the strap under her ear on one side while placing the other under her crown. Then he carefully put the strap through the buckle, tightening until Lillain cued him to stop before latching it in place. Lillain shifted it slightly before turning back towards Crucis "So?" "It certainly is an improvement..." "Good enough for me!" She uttered with a triumphant smirk."So now what?" "Now we should ask around for jobs. Then prepare to undertake anything, within reason, of course" "Right"

Lillain sprang up and onto her feet, starting for the door and grabbing her weapon along the way. Crucis followed calmly behind her. They spent the next few hours chatting with various residents of the slums. They accrued a reasonable list of requests to undertake. Shortly after the pair finished their rounds, Lillain watched a woman with a funny hat whizz past them. She headed to the lift and entered without a fuss from the guards.

On impulse, Lillain tried to join the stranger whose hat seemed to hold the same aura as her arm and Crucis' legs. However, the nearest knight swiftly thwarted her **"YOU AREN'T ALLOWED !"** He bellowed way too close to Lillain's face for comfort. The girl giggled and waved as she rode off on the lift. Crucis quickly drug Lillain away with a half-hearted apology to the knight as they passed "Are you nuts?" "How come that girl could just waltz up there?! She's like us! I felt it!" "Maybe she's gotten clearance..." "Tch...And that smug giggle and wave of hers..." Lillain fumed for a few minutes before turning her attention to the flyers in Crucis' hand from their previous efforts "Anyway! Forget her! Let's just do some jobs and earn our own way up" "...Right..."

The pair looked over their options before Lillain held up a rescue job "Ogres! I'd love to shred those bloody bastards!" "And help their captives" "Right! This one first" Crucis nodded before the two quickly gathered supplies and set off, following the directions listed.

* * *

By late afternoon, they had found their quarry, busily rounding up a selection of captives with plans to feast upon them. Lillain growled disdainfully, though Crucis hushed her. His eyes focused on the obvious leader and his diminutive partner. That was their prime target. It was only a matter of tailing them. And that's exactly what they did as soon as the band moved along.

Crucis took lead with Lillain not far behind. Or at least she had been until the sound of someone else whimpering drew her in the opposite direction. Soon enough she came upon an elderly lady. Upon inquiring her reason for being there, she mentioned her son and that he'd seemingly been taken by monsters. Lillain set off in the direction the woman said he'd been last seen. While she didn't find any humans, she did find two obnoxious goblins holding a trinket that looked the one the lady described her son wearing. Lillain wasted no time cutting down the fiends and retrieving the pendant before turning on her heels and returning to the woman.

Upon seeing the keepsake, the woman fought back tears and admitted she knew it was likely he'd been killed. Though it was clear she'd held hope otherwise until this moment. Lillain gently turned over the pendant and the woman thanked her for avenging her lost loved one. Lillain fought back her own emotions before bidding the woman farewell and making a beeline back towards Crucis or at least where she'd last seen him.

* * *

Crucis, meanwhile, opted to keep on the Ogre's trail. He trusted that the woman could handle herself for now. His focus was on breaking through the obstacles between himself and the boss ogre. Cutting down countless small fry monsters with kunai and shuriken alike. The biggest obstacles came about two thirds into his path to the Ogre's stronghold. A pair of regular ogres holding guard. He could certainly tear into them, but they'd take far longer than a normal monster would. And bypassing them wouldn't really work either. He kept just out of sight while weighing his options. He was so lost in thought that he, in fact, hadn't noticed the white-haired swordswoman whip past and take a daring swing at the first ogre. It wailed and snarled before trying to cave in her head with its club.

She narrowly danced back from the impact, which left a small crater before charging again. Another solid hit but the ogre only staggered slightly before arcing another swing her way. A second lucky dodge before shuriken whooshed past her and thudded into the ogre's skin. It cried louder and the wounds seemed to fester and boil with whatever substance the weapons had been laced with.

Lillain took its distracted manner as her cue and solidly swung her blade once more, finally cleaving the first ogre in two. Now it was the other one's turn and something resonating in her Dragon scar told her to aim what was now a miniature maw at the enemy. She did so and a bolt of electricity shot towards the ogre. It spasmed and grunted, leaving it open. Crucis didn't miss a beat, shooting forward and slicing at the ogre's frame with his kunai. Lillain followed suit with her own blade and the pair had carved up the ogre's body in no time flat. The pair snuck a high five before continuing onward, tearing through all else in their path.

They made it to the stronghold in a reasonable time and ran straight for the gargantuan ogre leader. After brief and uninteresting banter from their quarry, the pair set to work taking down the foul fiend. Some solid teamwork, lots of dodging rocks or flames thrown at them, and surviving having the very floor knocked from under them thrice; they finally finished it with a resounding thud as it fell and crushed its companion beneath it. The pair then freed the captives. The adults were far less grateful than one sweet little boy. Lillain fought the urge to pat his head, just to avoid crossing a threshold and inciting violence from the adults. Mission complete!

* * *

Now all that remained was to return home?... At the very least, the Inn was base camp for now. Calling it home was a stretch though... That was left in ruins... Lillain pushed down those thoughts as she and Crucis made it safely back to the Medius slums. Reporting their job completion, then heading straight to bed at the Inn.

Lillain flopped straight into bed, forgetting her gauntlets and greaves in the process as she drifted off in exhausted slumber. Crucis, on the other hand, sat awake. Staring out the window with a distant gaze. There would be worse struggles to come... For now, his thoughts drifted away as he tried to relax enough to rest.

* * *

_A much younger version of the shinobi sat beneath a tree, eyes closed in deep meditation. A rustling leaf started to fall towards his head before something struck it from the sky and pinned it to another nearby tree "Cru-Kun!" a young male's voice pipped up from above him "What is it, Mao?" "I'm booooorrrrred!" "And that's new how?" the older boy opened an eye and glanced up into the tree where the younger boy was stretched across the branch, lying on his back. Crucis and Mao were supposed to be training, but it was clear Mao only wanted to slack off again today. Master would surely reprimand them both if this kept up "We're supposed to be training Mao" "Ah! What does that matter?! I'm gonna fail anyway! " he passed before shifting position so he hung by his knees just shy of Crucis' face and booped his friend's nose "Especially compared with a prodigy like you!" "I'm no prodigy" Crucis muttered as he lightly smacked the obtrusive finger away "I'm just not a slacker..." "Sure, sure... Come on! We should be playing right now!" "If I humor you for a few minutes, will you please take training more seriously?" "No promises here!" The younger boy declared before his legs lost grip on the branch. Crucis dove forward and managed to stave off a worse fall with his back. "Thanks, buddy" "No problem" Crucis wheezed, catching his lost breath._

_Mao had always been reckless from the day the pair met. It was always his ideas that got them in trouble. But they were also the most fun Crucis had in his life. Whether it was tracking down delicious fruit near a skullbee nest or exploring the nearest cave without proper gear, there was always something risky he wanted to do. Crucis was sure today was no exception "What's today's plan?" He asked after Mao got off his back and he could right himself "Hmmm...Actually, there's a girl I want to give a gift... Would you help me find something for her?" "A girl? When did you take interest in girls? Let alone meet one out here?" He uttered gesturing to their surroundings "I snuck back home and met the prettiest girl! Though she was a little weird since she was carrying a sword around like a boy..." "Sounds like your type alright" "Hush!" Mao shouted as he slugged Crucis shoulder "Anyway, help me find a gem! Girls like gems, right?" "Huh? So we're going mining then?" "Mhm!"_

_With that, Mao took hold of Crucis right arm and tugged on him. The other boy rose and obediently followed. Checking to be sure he still had his tools on him. Well, except that one shuriken but Mao wasn't willing to stop for it. After roughly an hour or so travel, the pair came upon a cave "They should have plenty of gems down there!" Mao pointed and puffed his chest before marching in. Crucis followed with slightly more trepidation. Neither had a torch and soon the dark of the cave consumed them both. That was save for a faint glow a few feet away. Mao ran towards it while Crucis walked, still on guard. Mao hoisted the glowing object, which turned out to be a mushroom proudly "We have a light" "For as long as that keeps it's pitiful glow" "Don't be a pessimist! We'll have our prize before then!" "Sure, sure"_

_The pair made their way deeper until there was no hint as to the way they came. However, they did find a bigger patch of the luminescent shrooms, and Mao quickly plucked a handful, tossing a couple to Crucis. He fumbled to catch them but still barely managed to grip them before they hit the cavern floor. He waved one around, looking for signs of gemstones "Maybe we should head back..." "No way man! Not when we're so close! I can feel those gems!" Crucis sighed as the two proceeded onward. Then a familiar noise caught Crucis' attention. The sound of Demonpillar skittering towards them. Somewhat unusual but Crucis had no time to ponder. He stepped in front of Mao as a wad of sticky web spit came hurtling their way. The substance entangled him and he grunted as he struggled against it. Trying to grab for his kunai while shouting to Mao **"Run! Get Master!"** But the younger boy stood, frozen and visibly quaking. Crucis gritted his teeth, managing to grab his kunai and slash away the web just as the Demonpillar slammed its body against him. Now the gross monster was above Crucis and looking to make him its snack. He jammed his kunai as hard as he could into its underside before trying to kick it off of him. It wailed in pain and left a nasty splatter of its blood on Crucis' chest. The blood itself left a slight sting on his skin and he carefully rolled over and got onto his feet "You ok Mao?"_

_The other boy didn't respond, only shivering until Crucis reached out and touched his shoulder. Mao flinched away and Crucis could see the start of soft sobs wracking the boy's body "H-Hey! Don't cry! We're ok, aren't we?" Mao didn't respond beyond pointing at Crucis' chest. Crucis looked down to see a small patch of scratches covering his chest. Guess it had gotten a few licks in before he'd taken it out. He then watched Mao fumble in his pouch and pull out the jar of ointment the medics usually used. Then he opened before taking out a handful. He then smeared said handful over the marks on Crucis' chest. The older shinobi winced as the ointment cleared out whatever might have gotten in and settled into the wounds. He bit his tongue slightly, trying to hold the bravest face he could._

_Then a very different sound came from deeper within the cave. A female's voice called out and soon an orb of light approached. When the glow reached its peak, roughly six feet away, a girl with long white hair and blue eyes stood "Hello? Ya lost?" "We were looking for gems" Crucis answered while Mao shied away "Like this one?" The girl asked, presenting a rough and small purple gem in her free hand. The other seemed to suspend the orb that illuminated her "Yeah, like that" The girl tossed it and Crucis caught in his hand "Now you have one! Anything else?" **"Ah! No! we'll be leaving now!"** Mao shouted, having run just slightly out of the light's radius. The girl let out an inquisitive noise before approaching the now slightly frozen Crucis. She began chanting something, then a pink aura slipped from her and touch his wound. Any remaining sting was relieved "Better?" Crucis nodded "Good. I'm Mana by the way" "Crucis" "Well Cru-chi! You better go after your friend before he gets lost" "Right... thanks Mana..." "Anytime!" Then the girl uttered one more chant and an orb of fire shot past him and lit a previously unseen torch a short way away. Crucis ran over, grabbed it, and continued after Mao._

_Soon the pair were back out under the twilight sky. Both panting from the rush of running all the way back out. When they finally caught their breaths, Crucis tried to offer Mao the girl's gift but he turned it down. Apparently he'd found his own small ruby on the way back and considered the amethyst to be Crucis'. He later had the gem made into a necklace. His keepsake from the day he met that strange girl. And the pair were, of course, punished by their master for wandering off and getting into trouble._

* * *

Crucis in the present dug the necklace from beneath his scarf folds. He had no doubt the girl Lillain was tailing to the lift was the same girl from that day. He'd have to catch up to her and ask her what she was up to now. But minding Lillain took priority for now.


	4. Fourth Thorn and Conflict in the Slums

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillain is awoken by knights marching, with a particular face leading the march.  
> Conflict briefly ensues... Riggs the Warrior makes his own cameo with Mana making her second  
> Water purifying (with Konosuba reference) mission follows.

Morning came with an unexpected fanfare, jarring Lillain from her surprisingly sound slumber. She rolled off her bed with a groggy grunt and a thud. She let a few "Shits! and "Fucks!" out from under her breath before pushing off the floor. On her feet and out the door, forgetting her sword in the process. She found the lobby surprisingly empty and once she left, she saw why.

A procession of knights marched through the streets while the residents watch, breath held. The band was led by a particular knight and Lillain felt her hair stand on end and low growl escape her throat. **_WHATSHERNAME!_** Lillain stepped into the way, not even registering she didn't have her sword. At least until the reflex to reach for it kicked in and she grasped nothing but thin air. Suddenly all her gumption dropped to the pit of her stomach just as the procession reached her. The Knight-Captain glared her down "Move..." The command hit like a cannon shot to the gut but Lillain stood her ground "M-Make me!" She shouted, puffing her chest. She would take whatshername down, with or without her sword. Or so she thought, till the Knight-Captain drew her right leg back and solidly swung a kick into Lillain's abdomen. She felt herself cough and fought the urge to vomit, dropping to one knee "Show some decorum and move...filth..." The Knight-Captain commanded "Captain Helevisa, shall I dispose of this miscreant for you?" another young knight piped up behind the Knight-Captain "No... she's not worth sullying your blade" And with that Knight Captain, Helevisa swung another kick to Lillain's side, knocking her aside and out of the way before the group moved as if nothing occurred.

Lillain was left reeling and uttering another flurry of curses after the retreating procession. Crucis came out shortly after and helped her up "What happened now?" "I found Captain whatshername... No, wait, her name's Helevisa! Knight-Captain Helevisa!" "Uh-huh... and you tried to fight her in the middle of the slums, without your sword?" he inquired, holding up the loaded sheath with a light sigh "Y-Yeah... Well, she and her band of merry douches woke me up with their fancy marching routine! Not to mention what she did to the village!" Lillain's face contorted similar to a rabid animal, primed to tear into the first thing that crossed her personal space. She snatched her sword and its sheath from Crucis and looked bound to march after the group, which had long departed to the upper level by now. 

Crucis took hold of her right shoulder "Easy pup... She just kicked you around like a child's toy. What makes you think you could take her on now?" "I-" Lillain was at a loss. He had a point. She had just been kicked like she was nothing more than a bitty puppy, growling and bark with no real bite to back it. Not to mention they still couldn't use that lift on their own. She tried to let all the tension go while Crucis gently patted her shoulder "Focus on getting an into the upper level, then we'll take down her and her masters when we get there..." "Thanks, Crucis" "Don't thank me till we've actually done that and saved Amica" Lillain nodded and the pair reentered the Inn. 

* * *

To their surprise, a rather tall young man stood in the middle of the room with the weird girl from the other day hanging from his arm. The man sheepishly turned to them and offered a polite smile while the girl swung as though she were a goblin swinging from a branch. She seemed completely oblivious to the pair. The duo gave the man a polite wave before heading to their room. Lillain took to the pile of new jobs while Crucis dug out salve from his belongings. It was clear the Knight-Captain's greaves had left a mark on Lillain's side and even a sizable cut in a spot. Crucis carefully took a scoop from the container and rubbed it on the wound. Lillain stiffened and shivered slightly "COLD!...Warn me next time!" "Don't get hurt next time, then I won't have to do this in the first place" Lillain puffed her cheeks and turned her attention back to the pages. Of the options, most really didn't appeal. Escorts, water purification, and other tedious jobs lay before her. She gave up after a few minutes and tossed the lot at Crucis "Watch it!" He growled, swatting the flurry of paper "They're all crappy though..." "We don't have time to be picky" He scolded, holding one slightly crumpled and waving it in her face "We're doing the job on this page" "Aw man!" Lillain groaned as she read the few lines she could make out "Water purification duty..." "...Needs done" "You aren't going to stick me in a cage and drop me in the water, are you?" She implored "Don't tempt me..." Lillain gulped and gathered what she needed before exiting the room hurriedly. Crucis chuckled and followed suit shortly after.

* * *

Once back in the lobby, the previous pair was absent. Not that Lillain minded. The girl seemed like a nut case and anyone willing to stick with her had to be a masochist on some level. The duo made their way out and over to the bar for directions. A brief chat with the barkeep later, they were on their way to the place. Upon arrival, they were greeted by an old man who explained the situation to them. In short, the had to successfully ferry fruit into the poisoned pools to purify them and take out any hindrance in the process. Sweet and simple.

Lillain was already off to the races, tracking down the first fruit "Sweet!" she uttered as she climbed the branches to grab it. Unfortunately, she hadn't noticed the Skullbee heading straight for her. It knocked her from the branch just as she'd almost grasped the fruit. She growled and prepared to strike it with her sword before a shuriken whizzed by and took care of it for her. Crucis passed her shortly after, swiftly grabbing the fruit. And was that his tongue stuck out at her?! She grunted before kicking off the ground and tailing after the retreating shinobi. Swiftly the pair took out any enemy in their way and dropped the first fruit into the first pool, purifying it easily. "So do we have to go all that way back for the next one?" "No, he said there are more fruits ahead. Let's just go... and try to keep up this time" he teased before dashing forward. The nerve on this guy! Still, the urge to smirk hit her, and one snuck its way onto her lips. He was doing his best to make the tedium quick and fun, in his own way.

Soon the pair found the next set of pools. Crucis sniped the fruit from the tree and split it equally among the small pools. Two down, one left. And it was starting to drift back into her memory that the old man spoke of a monster. She half expected a Hermit King or a Thundertoad. But as the two reached the last pool, those expectations dropped as only a lone shockfish swam in the remaining pool. She blindly jumped into the waters. However, upon contact, she felt sick to her stomach. Then she remembered why they were doing this. Poison! Still, she persevered and took a swing at the shockfish who retorted with a shock surge from its tail. Her body jolted and stiffened from the shock. She could hear Crucis sighing before a volley of shurikens nearly missed her and struck the shockfish squarely, killing it. A fruit then thudded next to her and the water was purified "Gee Thanks!" She uttered, sticking out her tongue in a childish manner. Crucis chuckled and offered her a hand up from the board walkway just above the pool. She reached out and took it once the temporary paralysis wore off. He gently helped her up and the pair sat on the platform for a moment, Lillain scarfing down antidote while Crucis watched for threats.

Once they were both ready to move, they made their way back to the old man to report. Facing a few to no obstacles, the trip was quick and the man surprised at just what had been stalking the last pool. Lillain wondered if they even bothered to check properly before sending out their mission request. Still, the job was done and they were free to return home. "So now what? Besides heading back" She asked "You have something in mind?" he retorted "Not really... other than maybe a bath once we're back" "Yeah, you do stink from that foul water" "Rude!" she jeered, slugging his shoulder "Just saying" The pair laughed as they made their way back to the Slums. Lillain definitely wanted to bathe, eat and sleep - in that order. And Crucis was just grateful to have another productive day under their belts without to much trouble. Still, things were bound to get rougher for here on out.


	5. The Fifth Thorn and The New Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some new faces make their own cameo...  
> And Lillain and Crucis meet new friends while enjoying a well-deserved bath and dinner.  
> Nudity and hijinx ensue. Fluff chapter is fluff.

While Empress and Shinobi were working their tails off to gain access to the upper city, something else or rather someone else was stirring in the Slums of the capital. A young woman with a visage strikingly similar to the kidnapped Oracle Amica was walking or rather floating through the streets. Her Dragon Scar stretching out like a pair of snake-shaped wings as she moved. Onlookers occasionally gawked as she made her way down towards the black market tent. 

Waiting there was a young man with tidy hair and his arms crossed. His own Dragons Scar protruding from his forearms. He tapped his foot impatiently until the young lady arrived "You're late..." "Oh Mao-Mao, you're just early" "Don't call me that! Patronizing woman..." "Oh no! I've riled the Great Bandit Mao up! Now he's gonna get me with his fondling dragon arm!" "Don't say things like that! People will get sick ideas!" The woman snickered "Ya sure you're an Oracle, Marinne? Cause you act like an awful brat... " "Oracles don't have to be sticks-in-the-mud, ya know?" 

The young man sighed "So, what now?" "You tell me, oh wise Mao-Mao! You're the one who led me to the slums." "That's only cause sneaking up to the upper city is a pain! Those jerks rarely leave that lift unguarded!" Marinne nodded "So we have to find an in then" "And quickly... You said you didn't have long here, right?" "Mhm... This form is lovely but projecting this far back is taxing so I need to save my predecessor quickly" "But why you? If you exist, doesn't that mean she got saved in this time somehow" "Not necessarily" She uttered, wagging her finger in his face. He was half-tempted to bite it but suppressed the urge as she continued " She could easily have been lost and a successor born, just not under the circumstances they could if she was saved... Which is what I'm here to ensure" "Sounds like a whole lot of work for a promise that things go accordingly" "I can't complain when there's something I can do... For now, let's go shopping! I could use a new Greatsword" "Whatever you say Oracle..." "I told you to call me Marinne!" "Ok, Oracle Marinne..." "Close enough..." then the pair disappeared into the Black Market's folds and long out of sight...

* * *

Meanwhile, the Shinobi and the Empress finally returned to the slums. Lillain was nearly fit to keel over and Crucis was clearly sweating, despite his cool demeanor. The pair had spent the trip back racing as though they were merely children. Crucis had managed to win by a breadths hair. Still, now they required dinner and Lillain was even more in need of a cleansing soak in a fresh bath.

The pair opted for the latter first since it was in poor taste to try and eat somewhere when one stunk worse than the sewage. After sending Crucis on the information gathering errand, they found a public bath, housed within the Inn. Solely segregated by gender, the pair split off to their respective bathing areas.

Lillain removed her heavy armor first, flinching slightly as she bent to remove her leg gear. The slash from this morning stung just enough to leave a dull throb in her side. It was really going to need flushing after her bath in the polluted waters from earlier.

Then came the removal of the rest of her garments. Her top and bottom went fairly quickly, but she lingered on her eye-patch. It was the first time she'd be removing it since she'd got it. Was it ok to expose the still fairly recent stitches to the water of the baths? Was she ok having her sealed eye seen by strangers? Thoughts muddled her mind till an excited voice broke her train of thought "Hi Strange lady!" The little witch from earlier now stood uncomfortably close to her "Remember me? You tried to snatch a ride with me the other day! Sorry, I didn't vouch for ya, but it was already a pain to get clearance for me and Riggsy!" Lillain took a moment to process the girl's ramblings "Uh-Huh..." She uttered. Riggsy must have been the Warrior dude from earlier."Anyway, I forgot to ask what's wrong with your eye? Is it busted? If so, lemme fix! I'm a mad scientist, self- proclaimed, after all!" "My eye? ...Rather not talk bout it...Let alone have ya poking it..." " **AW!** Why not?!" "I don't-" "Name's Mana!" Wha-?" "You were about to say you didn't know me, right? Now you do!" "A name isn't enough to let you tinker with my missing eye" 

Then Lillain's left hand shot to her mouth and the smaller girl gave her a half puzzled, half -concerned look "Why's it missing? Did someone take it?!" Lillain could only half-heartedly nod.

Then she reached behind her head and undid the buckle, snatching her patch and setting it with the rest of her gear. The younger witch examined the older woman's face carefully, suddenly far more withdrawn than she had been "May I please touch it?" The witch implored with a far more polite and serious tone. Lillain took the change as a sign and nodded. The girl chanted something before reaching out and caressing her fingers over the sealed eyelid. A slightly refreshing tingle seemed to emanate from her touch as a pinkish glow was spotted on Lillain's periphery. 

When the girl was done, no pain seemed to emanate from the spot "What did you do?" Lillain asked once she regained her voice "Healed it best I can... Can't restore body parts yet, but at least it shouldn't bother ya for a bit...I hope" "Thanks...Mana, was it?" "Mhm!"

Suddenly the girl was acting chipper again before gleefully throwing off her clothes and streaking her way to the bathing area. Lillain lingered, removing her last article before cautiously following Mana. She'd have to share this encounter with Crucis later.

* * *

Upon entering the bathing area, she found a scant few stools with buckets and bottles of homebrewed soap lining one side of the room with a smaller pool attached to the wall. The other was a sizable bath for the space, with a reasonable number of bodies already bathing. Lillain took the cue to sit on one of the stools first, grabbing the empty bucket and dunking it into the small pool before dumping the drawn water on her nude form. Slightly cold and her body reacted to the temp accordingly. Still, it was better than nothing. Then she picked up the soap and drew another bucket. Then she mixed the two into a fine lather, carefully using it to wash every inch of herself. Then something or someone tipped her bucket, though she could barely see through her half-closed eye. 

Mana lay sprawled on the bathing area floor, having tripped over the bucket in her attempt to approach and offer bathing help to Lillain. Now the latter was blindly reaching out to check on Mana and lightly touched her butt. Mana's face flushed and she scrambled to get up "EEP!" She slipped and crashed backward into Lillain, knocking them both to the floor in an awkward position. Mana fumbled to get up with a flurry of "I'm sorry" on her lips. Lillain was still fumbling to get up while fighting the stinging soap the threatened her remaining eye. They both could hear giggling and whispers from the larger bath behind them.

Mana managed to refill the bucket with fresh water and doused Lillain with it, saving her from the soap though not the humiliation of the moment. Still, with a second splash, it was finally safe for her to see again. 

Now she cautiously made her way to the bigger bath, minding gossiping patrons who were leaving simultaneously. Lillain tried to ignore them and settled into a comfortable edge of the bath. Mana came along not long after, still muttering apologies before Lillain silenced her with a finger to Mana's lips "Enough... Let's bathe in peace..." "O-Ok..." 

Then Mana spotted the cut on Lillain's side. She began chanting the same spell from earlier before reaching over and touching the wound. Lillain shivered from the contact but was relieved when the wound seemed to seal up and it's stinging ceased "T-Thanks-" She was about to say Mana when the girl then grabbed Lillain's breast "And that's for touching my butt earlier!" The witch uttered, sticking out her tongue "That wasn't on purpose Mana! Don't be so lewd as to think I wanted to do that" "Aw! But I have a nice butt!" She joked, bumping her shoulder into Lillain's. Then a comfortable fit of laughter fell between the girls as they finished their bath in solidarity, having bonded in a peculiar way.

* * *

Crucis, meanwhile, tried to enjoy his bath, in spite of the fact he could hear all the goings-on on the girl's side. The wall probably wasn't that thick. He sighed, then he spotted a familiar male across the room, trying desperately to focus on his pre-bath clean up while mumbling about needing to talk with his companion later.   
Then he finished his ritual and made his way into the big bath, not far from Crucis "Hey man..." "Yo" "Name's Riggs, and you are?" "Crucis" "Nice to meet ya Crucis! So what brings you and your lady friend to the slums?" "Business" "Serious business from the sound of it." Riggs paused before adding "Sorry Mana couldn't let your girl jack a ride in the lift the other day... She had a hell of a time just getting 'em to clear me to escort her" "How'd she get clearance in the first place" "Same way yer trying to. Currying favor from the locals. Hecking strong magic, she has. Just lacking in the self-control department. I stepped up to mind her after she nearly blew up one of them snooty upper-class folks" "I see... Must be taxing..." "Can be, but she's got a good heart deep down. Just a little wacky in her wiring is all" "heh... Sounds like she's a good kiddo" "Yep" 

Then Riggs leaned back and stretched out as best he could in the space "So what happened to your girl's eye?" "I don't know exactly... and please stop calling her my girl... We're just working together on-" "That serious business of yours, right?" Crucis nodded "Welp, I don't know how reliable Mana and I might be but if you two need help - I'll gladly lend ya an arm" "Thanks for the offer, Riggs... I'll keep it in mind" "See that you do bud and take good care of your partner, aright?" Crucis nodded before leaving the bath. His lithe frame had soaked in the fairly warm bath water enough to feel rejuvenated and ready for dinner. And with the thought of food, his stomach growled. Then the sound of someone else moving out of the bath came from behind him and a hand rested on his shoulder "Say, let Mana and I treat you and your buddy to dinner!" Crucis' stomach growled again as if answering for him in spite of his attempts to muffle the sound. Riggs laughed and Crucis gave a relatively timid nod before both men proceeded out of the baths and into the welcome fluff of surprisingly fresh towels.

* * *

A quick-dry and redress later, the two parties reconvened in the lobby. Mana had taken to clinging to Lillain's arm since the bath, much to the older woman's befuddlement and chagrin. Crucis stifled a chuckle while Riggs didn't fight his and instead patted Lillain's free shoulder "Seems she's taken a liking to ya! Can't say I'm terribly surprised though considering-" Lillain cut his comment off with a glare "Don't.say.anything.about. that!" She knew their accident earlier could be heard through more than just the ladies side and her humiliated state doubled as soon as they were out of the baths and around more of the Inn's patrons "Anyway, let's grab some grub at the local place" Riggs said as he gestured for the girls to go first"Yes, let's" Crucis added, trying to smooth the situation. Mana tugged Lillain forward and the boys tailed after.

The group came to the nearest eatery and tried to order food. The barmaid took their orders with an air of disinterest and it took at least an hour for dishes that should have taken less. Especially with how few patrons were there at that hour.

But when it did arrive, it looked heavenly. Slabs of finely seared meat, sauteed mushrooms and onions, and other assorted veggies. Each person dished with a lovely helping of everything before the feeding frenzy began. None of them could hold back the urge to scarf down such delicious offerings. Soon all plates were cleared and a few more acquired before the stacks were relatively sizable and all bellies were full to bursting. Mana and Riggs paid as planned then the pairs headed back to the Inn and split to their own respective rooms for the night. Tomorrow would be a new adventure! But with the promise of new allies willing to lend their aid if need be.


	6. Sixth Thorn and the Bandit Chase

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillain awakes to a bandit intruding upon the Inn.  
> Clash ensues and Lillain gains a new target...  
> While Crucis faces a familiar party from his past and their new friend who looks strikingly similar to a certain kidnapped Oracle...  
> Tensions between many arise...  
> -Warning for foul langauge and lots of it...

The new day came with its own fanfare. The sounds of crashing and cursing could be heard, echoing from the lobby. Lillain was a little better about rolling out of bed this time 'round, landing on her hands and knees before pushing off the floor. She could hear a young man's voice shouting curse words while the Innkeeper seemed to be screaming and call for someone to catch a bandit. Lillain wasted no time rushing out the door in her bedclothes with only her sword in hand. She was determined to take care of the problem herself.

When she reached the lobby, she was greeted with the sight of a young man balanced precariously on some furnishing with the owner holding him at broom point. The scene was quite comical and Lillain couldn't help but laugh a little. At least until a sharp glare was turned her way from both parties "Don't just stand there! **Catch this brat!** " The woman shouted while the boy snarled " **DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH ME!** I have other business to attend to!" Lillain sighed and lifted her sword "Look kiddo, just give up and maybe we'll play nice-" "Don't you dare say you'll let this jerk get away with what he's done!" the woman interrupted "Fine, fine..." Lillain rolled her eyes as she lunged for the young man, hoping to tackle him. 

The young man, however, stuck out his tongue and lept away in the nick of time. Leaving Lillain to come crashing into the Innkeeper. The pair were sprawled on the floor for maybe a half a second before the woman smacked Lillain and got out of the heap they'd been in. Lillain growled, dropping her sword to rub her sore cheek. Must have been how Crucis felt the other day. She made a point to apologize to him again later. For now, she pushed off the floor and scouted around the room for the young man. But he was nowhere to be found "Where'd you go, ya coward?!" Then she heard a voice practically whisper in her ear "Nowhere you'll ever find ya hag!" before it seemed to drift away.   
Now Lillain had gone from mildly annoyed to full-on peeved. She was determined to find that brat and beat the snot out of him. But first, she had to pick up her previously dropped sword and retreat to her room for her armor. It wasn't wise to rush out in just bedclothes, no matter how single-mindedly angry one felt at the moment.

* * *

Crucis had still been sound asleep until Lillain came stomping back into the room, dumping her sword to the floor before preparing to change. Crucis opened one bleary eye and was greeted by the sight of Lillain's bare, scarred back. Dragonbloods always healed fairly quickly, so the scars themselves weren't a surprise. How casual she was about changing was though... He closed his eye and feigned continued sleep till he could hear her footfalls retreat with the weightier sound of her greaves. Then it was time to spring after her "Where are you off to in such a huff?" Lillain whirled on her heels, sword way too poised at him for Crucis' liking "Hunting a damn shitty brat! I'll make him pay for humiliating me!" "Seems like a lot of people humiliate you..." He muttered under his breath, carefully moving her blade aside. She growled and he softly chuckled "So how did this brat humiliate you exactly?" "You did catch that racket this morning?! Bastard was bouncing around the Inn and had the owner's panties in a twist!" She paused, griping her head with her dragon scar hand "And then the little shit dodged my grasp, left me to topple over the Innkeeper and get slapped for it! And finally, FINALLY, the little shit had the nerve to call me a hag before poofing off to wherever brats go!" "So you got outplayed by what sounds like a little kid..." Crucis shook his head before circumventing her and crossing his arms behind his head "Sounds to me like you need to get back to training..." 

Lillain could feel the smugness in his snarky comment "And you think you could've nabbed him?!" "Yes...I probably could have... because I have patience" he glanced over his shoulder "Unlike someone I know" Lillain felt her blood boiling more "I'LL SHOW YOU! I'll catch him and do it using my wits and patience!" "See that you do..."

Crucis hadn't meant to be harsh but it was clear if Lillain was to stand a fraction of a chance against her nemesis, let alone the other trials awaiting them - she'd require a lot of training in more than just clashing blades... And it seemed that teaching her fell to him currently. Still, with rumors he'd caught yesterday and Lillain's report this morning, Crucis had an inkling about who this brat might be. And he wasn't exactly enthusiastic about the possibility. He'd have to do some digging on his own...

* * *

So the pair split for the day. Crucis excused himself with rounding up more intel about their bigger problems while Lillain was dead-set on catching the bandit brat. So Lillain took off for the local shops to see if he'd gone looting elsewhere while Crucis made his way down to the Black Market. If the one he'd suspected was skulking anywhere, it'd likely be there.

* * *

Lillain didn't exactly make the best impression bursting into the weapons shop. Nor was it any better when she pointed her sword at any container she thought the bandit could have hidden in. And the final straw was her demanding access to the backroom while barely keeping her blade at bay. The owner kicked her out while nearly spitting on her in disgust. She'd probably have to have Crucis smooth- _Wait! No!_ She'd do it herself!

Putting her blade away, she knocked on the door, taking a cleansing breath. The man peered out the window with a scowl "Let me apologize" She mouthed. The man grunted and stepped away. She waited for ten minutes, then twenty. Then thirty ticked by with forty shortly after. She'd probably idled for an hour before the man's face appeared at the window again. He seemed to fight a scowl before opening the door "Go away already!" He shouted "Not till I apologize properly! I'm sorry for my ill manners sir!" She bowed and onlookers' eyes were on the pair. The threat of peer pressure led the owner to usher her back in just to avoid the gossip mongers spreading rumors "So what was it you were so **damn** keen to find that you had to _**threaten me**_?!" He asked in an angry hiss " A trouble-making bandit sir!" "Aha...You're talking about the runt that's got the upper folks' panties knotted triple fold, eh?" "yes' sir!" "Heard he likes fine relics and even finer booze... Neither of which I currently stock... Best bet is the upper-crust. They might give you the means to lure 'im" "Thank you and sorry again for...everything today... Hasn't been the best morning..." "Mhm, now leave so I can get back to work" "Right!" Then she dashed back out into the street, door slamming behind her. Now she definitely was going to sneak into the upper city!

* * *

Crucis, meanwhile, was busy exploring the vast stalls of the black market while uttering passing comments about finding superb liquor. One of the vendors perked during this "If ya want the good stuff, go there" he uttered pointing to a minor tent within the market itself. It had a crude null painted on its side. Crucis nodded and uttered thanks before making his way over. About five feet from it he could hear a slurred cry of " **Daaammnn Hags!** " coming from it. And when he was less than a foot from the entrance, a young woman poked her head out of the building with a smirk and tears beading at the corners of her closed eyes. Then she seemed to register the stunned-looking shinobi "Oh Hello"

Suddenly the rest of the tent fell silent as Crucis uttered "Oracle Amica?" The young woman's features were strikingly similar aside from her eyes and horns, which were a distinct yellow shade against the low light of the area "Oracle _who_?" She asked, tilting her head before correcting her posture and adding "I'm Oracle Marinne" then her hands flew to her mouth with a playful yet muffled whoops emitting from behind them. Then the tent nearly collapsed as the other inhabitant sprang from it and tackled Crucis to the ground.

A blade leveled to his throat as sea-green eyes glared daggers into him " _Mao_?" he managed once his voice was back under his control. The young man on top of him only scowled harder "Who told you my fucking name?!" Then realization seemed to dawn on the other young man before he sprang away from Crucis "What're you fucking doing here?! Weren't you off playing good ninja for the village?!" Mao spat after that last line. His face clearly flushed from drinking but his gaze piercing and his stance poised to strike. Crucis, once on his feet, held his hands in surrender "Village is decimated... Celestials-" "Doesn't matter to me... I'm just out to help **_her_** " Mao replied, thumbing toward Marinne, who had taken to hiding behind him though she was still smiling. Crucis noted the faint red glint from around her neck and felt himself almost chuckle "So you're playing house with someone _claiming_ to be an Oracle... Didn't take you for a fool... _Then again-_ " " **DON'T SAY ANOTHER WORD!** " Mao was now more than ready to pounce and Crucis felt his instincts urging him to draw his own weapon.

Then Marinne walked? No, more accurately floated from behind Mao "I'm a real Oracle! I'm just-" " _Marinne!_ " Mao hissed, though his tone held concern to it. Marinne put her hand on Mao's shoulder "It's fine... I can tell he means a lot to you Mao-Mao! That means I can trust him too!" "I don't-" " Shush!" she put a finger to his lips before turning back to Crucis "I'm the future Oracle Marinne... I'm here to save my predecessor Amica!" Crucis went from shock to uncontrollable laughter. _Was this some warped joke?_ No. He could tell from Marinne's frown that wasn't the case, at least not to her. He calmed himself "How am I to take such claims seriously?" "Do _**all**_ strangers float around while claiming to be kin, let alone _**an Oracle**_?" "No... still hard to believe you though..." "Well, you'll have to ask Atruum then! I'm sure Atruum will vouch for my legitimacy!" "Stop wasting breath on him Marinne" Mao interjected "He doesn't like listening to others very much..." " _you're_ one to talk Mao..." "Go fuck yourself Crucis and leave Marinne and I be" "I'd just come to warn you my partner is after you... and see if rumors were true about your fall..." "You're buddies with that one-eyed hag from the Inn? Geez, I knew you had shitty taste but she takes the cake, Cru... You may be worse off than I am... Now scram before I slice you up and scar poor Marinne and everyone else here" "..."

* * *

Before more words were exchanged, Crucis was gone. Leaving Marinne with her mouth half-open and Mao turning to fix his own mess. Marinne made up her mind to try and reunite the pair before her time was up. On top of saving Amica, of course! She'd just have to make sure Mao didn't know of her plans till much later... Then she whirled around and set to helping Mao fix their housing.

Crucis found himself harboring true rage for the first time in a long while. While he was certainly distraught over the destruction of the village, seeing Mao like that hit differently. The punk kid who used to tug his hand and relied on him was now a drunk good-for-nothing pretending to help some girl who may or may not be a time-traveling Oracle. Considered following up on her with Atruum, but first, he'd need to keep Lillain from them. She was bound to make a bigger mess of the situation than Mao had already put himself in. He still owed the brat that much courtesy... Though not a smidge more.

* * *

Lillain was making her way down to Epos when she spotted Crucis coming out of the black market. She was still ticked from earlier, but if she was going to show him her resolve - she'd need to act civil. She approached him with her best smile "So, how goes the-" "Don't go to the market!" "Huh?" "It's a mess today... kind of a headache..." "Was it the bandit's doing?!" "No! Celestials tried to raid them! Caused a big mess!" Every lie felt like poison on his tongue but she seemed to accept his word "So Black Market no good?" He nodded "Anyway, we should go back to hunting your bigger rival down anyway! I'm sure she's the one who sent the raid on the market..." "Doesn't seem her style though..." "and you know her style how?" "Just a vibe I got from fighting her" "Whatever... Let's get back to the inn and get a crew together for another job" "Wait! why are you so interested in dropping the brat all of a sudden? Don't you want to stop the petty thieving jerk too?" "Not really... was just going to take it on so you'd lay off it" "So you think I'm a kid who needs their problems taken care of for them?" "You act like one..." "HEY!" "...Just drop the subject and come back to the Inn" "No! I'm going to check the market now" 

Crucis reached out and grabbed her still human arm hard, eliciting a yelp of pain from the Empress. Once the sound hit his ears, he quickly released and sped off. She rubbed the spot and turned the direction he'd fled. Whatever was on his mind clearly broke his too-cool attitude. Now she was torn between curiosity and concern, letting the latter win out and tailing after the Shinobi's route to the Inn.

* * *

She found him sat on his bed, facing the window. His frame shook then she watched it turn to soft sobs. She paused before approaching, gently touching his back. His frame stiffened and he barely turned to look at her "Sorry" he softly uttered, tears beading under his still cold stare "You wanna-?" "If you mean talking about it, then no..." "I mean a hug. You're not exactly holding it together" "I-If you must..." 

He felt the weight of her body against his back as her arms encircled his lithe frame from below his pits "I don't know what happened in there or why you're in the state you're in but I'm here for ya when you wanna speak of it" "...I'll explain it all eventually... Just promise not to go looking for that bandit anymore" "Promise" The pair stayed like that for a while before Crucis eventually adjusted so he faced her. Lillain had settled into a nap and now her still asleep head rested against his chest. He resolved to explain everything later. Then his gaze trailed down to the red mark on her arm from his grip earlier. He'd also have to rub salve on that when she wasn't sleeping. For now, he'd let her enjoy her snooze while he basked in the comfortable warmth of her embrace. It'd been a long time since he'd felt a hug so warm and comforting...


	7. Seventh Thorn and the Dark Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some flashback fun with Crucis gets interrupted by a surprise evening visitor.  
> Some stories shared and some wounds reopened before daylight breaks the darkness...  
> Then some fun with training and a small scare near the end...

_It was a warm spring afternoon when young Crucis found himself tasked with a simple job - babysitting his mentor's niece. Hanako was probably a year younger than the nobi but due to her poor health, she looked small and fragile. Crucis was quick to dote on her and while she'd puff and pout, she still appreciated his company. The pair usually stuck close to the dojo, though Mao had more than once tried to take Hanako on his wild ventures. Crucis was mostly able to stop them, but one day he was a little late in catching them._

_Hanako managed to scale a tree with Mao goading her on from a branch above. But as she tried to reach up, she lost her balance and fell. She was lucky that Crucis had come just in time to catch her, but it was clear the fall had done enough to send her into a panicked coughing fit. Crucis took her back and found a very displeased mentor waiting. Hanako tried to defend Crucis but her words came gasped between coughs and the boy's teacher was having none of it. Crucis was tied to a tree and left to sit the evening outside, without dinner. Mao had tried to take his place, but the master reasoned that if Crucis was more attentive, then Mao couldn't have led Hanako anywhere dangerous._

_The cold chill of evening prickled his skin as he tried to ignore his growling stomach. Then a pair of whispering voices came into earshot along with the rich smell of barbequed meat and veggies. He wondered if his friends were actually mocking him now. Then the voices and scent grew closer until Mao and Hanako were sitting a half a foot away from him. He turned his head away "Come to mock my failure?" "NO!" they both shouted in unison before covering their mouths with one hand. The others held skewers of kebab carefully "We snuck you dinner Cru... It's not fair-" "It is..." Crucis interrupted Mao with a stern gaze "If I had been doing my duty properly Hanako-" "I'd have done it sooner or later Crucis!"_

_Now it was his turn to stare slightly stunned at the young lady. Her eyes lit with passion despite her clearly tired complexion "I WANT to be reckless! I HATE my body's frailty!" She was having a hard time keeping her voice low. It was clear he'd hit a nerve somewhere and now she needed to vent "I appreciate you protecting me, but I also want to enjoy my life..." Crucis was silent for a few minutes before giving an understanding nod. Then the girl raised the kebab and leveled it to Crucis face "So I want you to eat this and not worry so much" Crucis craned forward as best he could and snagged a chunk of meat off the end of the skewer. He watched his friends' faces light up and soon the pair were taking turns feeding him till both skewers were clean. His stomach let out a contented grumble and he felt his cheeks flush with a hint of embarrassment. Then the sound of their master's voice rang out, calling for Mao and Hanako._

_Mao was the first to flee, but Hanako lingered despite Crucis nudging her. She instead insisted on giving him a hug first. Arms carefully wrapped around his shoulder and her head nestled in the gap between her right arm and his neck "I'm sorry Crucis... and thank you for looking out for me..." She whispered softly into his ear before she too fled and the young shinobi was left alone with his thoughts._

* * *

Crucis was jarred from his dream by the sound of knocking on wood. He found himself leaning against the wall, blanket tucked around him. The room was dark, save for moonlight trailing in from the window. Illuminating Lillain's figure sleeping in the bed across from him. He must have dozed off during her nap. Then the sound came again, slightly louder. He cautiously crept from his bed and approached the source. The door had been shut, likely by Lillain. He now opened it a crack and eyed the young woman standing in the hall with a lantern in hand. Before he could utter a word, she put her finger to her lips then gestured for him to follow her.

While something in the pit of his stomach dreaded leaving Lillain alone, it was clear the floating maiden wasn't leaving without him. He let an airy sigh escape and gathered the minimum of his gear before leaving the room. Shutting the door as quietly behind him as possible before turning his attention to the alleged time-traveling Oracle "What do you want?" he asked in a hushed tone "Just a chat, you and me... No Mao or your girly friend in there..." She replied with a hushed giggle. Then the pair made their way outside. Between the dying puffs of smoke from nearby housing, The night sky glistened with soft but lovely starlight and the moon beamed seemingly at the center. It was a lovely vision to be sure, but he forced his attention back to the young woman beside him. The red glint around her neck catching his gaze again. "So, what is it you wish to say, so-called Oracle Marinne?" "I wanted to know about you and Mao-Mao..." "Why not ask him?" "He clammed up quick when I tried..." "..." "...You aren't gonna clam up too, are ya?" The shinobi sighed as the young woman gave him puppy eyes. It was clear she wasn't dropping this subject.

"We used to study under the same master in the art of assassination" "Oh!" she gasped before motioning for him to go on, clearly playing up her reaction to goad him "Everything was fine. Mao was a troublemaker and lax about his training, but it was clear he had potential..." he paused, his mind clearly picturing the past now. Training days with Mao, nights practicing made-up technics, and their times with Hanako all vividly playing out in his head before it came to the part he wished he could blackout "Then a mutual friend of ours... passed away... Mao didn't take it well, to put it lightly..." He felt the urge to suppress welling sadness rising, and his voice grew shaky for the first time in a while "He ran off, spouting nonsense about some relic to bring her back... Crossed into a forbidden place to get it..."

* * *

The shinobi watched the so-called Oracle's face contort from a smile to a bitter frown, fighting back tears "T-Then what?" she asked, her tone far more sheepish than earlier "Then I was sent after him..." The Oracle's eyes widened "B-But then how?" "I failed to finish him off properly... I made a poor judgment call in the heat of my own emotions..." Her eyes pleaded for more information but Crucis was done talking. He wasn't going to let himself relive that day. Not now nor ever if he could help it. It was a fatal mistake in his eyes and one that left him and Mao branded for life...

Marinne took his silence and let herself dwell on what she learned. Having seen scars and a large patch where he'd clearly been burned on his back, she could guess some of the events that transpired had been horrible but now she had means to put the pieces together "Thank you for divulging as much as you have..." "..." "You can go back to your friend now..." "...Not fair trade though..." "Pardon?" "I shared my tale..." "OH!" she gasped "You want to know my story now?" she gave him a coy stare "Just about that necklace of yours...it's from Mao, isn't it?" "Mhm... From the first time I met him years ago..." "Years?" "Not that your skeptical butt would believe me, but I've astral traveled before... To a time when Mao was younger... when I was also younger, of course, while training my skills as an Oracle" "uh-huh..." "I made a wish after he gave me this to meet again...and Atruum seemed to grant it now...But with the catch, I save your Oracle Amica from her potentially doomed fate" "So you were the girl Mao was gushing about before Hanako..." Crucis muttered softly "Hanako is the friend that died?" 

Now Marinne's face was uncomfortably close and Crucis had to take a step away before nodding "I see..." Marinne seemed to sink into thought again before saying "Anyway... better get back to Mao before he wakes up... Night Cru-Cru" Then the Oracle fled before Crucis could retort in kind. Clearly she had thoughts she didn't want him prying into.

He quietly snickered before returning to the Inn then his shared room. Lillain was as he left her, aside from rolling over so she lay flat on her back. The light dancing across her sealed eyelid, which was surprisingly bare. Guess sleeping with an eyepatch probably wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world. He sat on his bed once more and stared outside.

* * *

In spite of his insistence on suppression, memories of that day bubbled up. The sight of Hanako's limp frame. Mao tear-streaked face as he howled in anguish. His retreating frame as he darted into the night. His Master's stern gaze as he bluntly ordered Mao's execution. He clutched his head and curled in on himself, uttering hushed a " _ **NO!**_ " repeatedly as if it were a magic mantra. 

But it's magic failed to keep his mind from the inevitable scene of Mao holding up his prize. _Of his gaze shifting from elation to terror as Crucis approached, weapon drawn uttering words he thought comforting in the moment "I'll make it quick" Mao's desperate struggle as the pair fought. His pleading and crying as Crucis pinned him, his thrashing knocking a lantern over. Then Crucis leaping away and Mao rolling just in time for the falling flame to ignite his clothes and scorch his back. Mao's pleas for help drown by the rush of blood and adrenaline filling Crucis ears before he fled. He figured the fire would take Mao's life and he could walk away without truly staining his tools with his friend's blood._

_But upon his return, it was clear his master didn't agree. Instead, he was branded with a large metal X in a manner his body couldn't heal across his back._ Normally hidden and not entirely out of place on his already scarred frame, but only he and his Master knew it's meaning. And he planned to keep it that way. He'd keep all that to himself until death if he could help it...

He felt his frame tremble and silent tears rolling down. He did his best to contain his feelings. Forcing them down into a void. He had to suppress...Forget all but that the current Mao wasn't his friend. His friends died not long from one another. He was better off forgetting they'd existed at all... Just focus on Amica and Lillain... Saving the former and aiding the latter until they could safely part ways... Then the image of Lillain's smile from the other day flashed and broke the darkness in his head. Suddenly he could feel his calm return. He kept focusing on that warmth, like her hug from earlier in the day. It lulled him into a comfortable snooze once more...

* * *

Morning came and Lillain was once more the first one awake. She nudged Crucis' sleeping balled frame "Wake up bud or I'll have to poke you awake" Crucis stirred and sat up before latching onto Lillain's waist "Wah!" "...Stay..." he mumbled, half-awake "Of course I'll stay... Can't go without my backup" She muttered, letting her initial shock drift to soft comfort as she ruffled the messy tendrils Crucis called hair. The action seemed to jar any lingering tiredness from Crucis and he sprang backward with a muttered "Sorry" It was clear from the puffiness of his eyes he'd cried last night, but Lillain wasn't about to press him as to why. 

Instead, she turned her attention to her sheath, strapping it her frame before turning back to Crucis "So what's on today's agenda mister sleepyhead?" "...Training..." "Huh? But isn't that kind of a time-waster?" "No... You and I both need work if we're going to handle some of the hard jobs to get to Amica" "O-Ok... so how do you propose we train then?" "I know a place... Let's go" then he sprang off the bed, and out the door with Lillain hot on his heels.

It wasn't till they were outside and halfway to the gates when he finally stopped and let her properly catch up. Then he fumbled in his bag before withdrawing the salve and wordlessly applying it to the lingering mark on her arm from yesterday. She wanted to interject but it was clear he was too focused to be reached at that moment. So instead she uttered a soft thanks when he finished before he continued to a strange room. I had multiple warp glyphs scattered around with crude signs labeling them "What's this?" "Training... we are going to fix your habit of sword co-dependence and bull-headed rushing..." "HEY!" "I have things to work on myself so don't get worked up...remember my lecture yesterday?" "That I lack patience..." She groaned, not wanting to relive that part of yesterday's events...

"Exactly" Crucis uttered with a nod before stepping over to the glyph with a crude Ogre on the sign in front of it "Now come along..." he uttered before vanishing in the warp's glow. She sighed and followed suit. When the blinding blur of the warp lifted, they were back on the route to the Ogre from the first job "Oh we're back here!" "Sort of..." "what d'ya mean sort of?" "It's not the exact place since they're back" Crucis thumbed toward the Ogre and his little buddy not far from them. Lillain was about to dash at them before Crucis' arm halted her "Patience... less rushing with the sword more thinking of how to take advantage of his current stance" "...hrm..." She uttered, suddenly putting her thoughts on how to utilize patience to accomplish the goal of striking down the Ogre. Her hand instinctively went to her sheath only to find her sword absent "Wha-?" "No sword this time either... Use your wits and your other arm to win this time..." "And what are you going to do? " " Don't worry about that, focus on your goals for today..." "Fine..." She grumbled. 

She focused on her dragon scar. The arm seemed to resonate with power. She'd fired an electrical surge before, right? What if she could make that bigger and stun the ogre buddies? She closed her eyes and focused on welling energy into the arm, building up more and more electrical charge before aiming skyward and releasing the energy. A scatter of lightning bolts danced around her, though it seemingly left both the Ogres and Crucis unphased. She tried for a second burst but felt her arm on quiver in response "Can't shoot so much twice" She heard Crucis' voice directly in her left ear, despite that he'd disappeared shortly after the light show subsided. She suppressed the urge to groan and instead used the arm to grapple her way into a nearby tree. She focused on drawing back in all the lost energy from her previous burst while keeping watch on her target. She'd need to act without her sword. So once they were potentially stunned, how could she follow up? Could the arm double as a sword? 

She decided to shift gears and test how much she could alter the arm and soon it morphed into a large blade. Hard to swing willy-nilly but maybe a decisive strike with it could work. Now the plan was coming together. Calming breathes and letting her arm revert to its previous form. Then back to drawing in energy till she felt it ready to burst again and-! She gasped as she realized the Ogre had moved on without her noticing. Now she had to withhold all this energy while she hunted for them. She actually groaned at the prospect as she lept from the tree and took off at a manic pace. She felt her legs breezing through the terrain of the area till she was once more in the building they'd first faced off with the brute. Now he was distracted munching on a carcass.

She took that moment to focus her pent up energy onto her prey, letting loose the volley of electrical energy. It latched onto its target and sure enough, the ogre was twitching violently from the barrage. then she morphed her Dragon's scar to a tendril and grabbed a nearby hook, flinging herself above the Ogre's frame before morphing it again to the blade and crashing it down unto the Ogre's head with a sickening thud, cleaving it in two. She stood triumphant before she felt something touch her shoulder, then as she reached for it, she found her sword back in its sheath then the words "Good work now combine what you've learned with your old habits" whispered in her ear. Suddenly adrenaline was at peak rush through her body as the ogre seemed to reset and her battle began anew.

* * *

Hours passed with loop after loop of the Ogre respawning after Lillain struck him down. She began to find new ways to use her arm's power to keep the Ogre occupied while she tested different strikes and combinations. She could feel her muscles grow sore yet something about them felt stronger with each swing. However, she could also feel her limbs grow weary and her body reminding her she still needed to nourish it. Just one more-! She felt herself stagger forward before someone caught her "enough...Break time" Crucis uttered. Lillain groaned weakly before nodding. Then the pair made their way back to the warp and traveled once more to the strange room they'd started in. Then Crucis supported her out of the building and towards the restaurant from the other day. They'd gotten plenty of coin from their previous jobs to at least afford a simple meal. 

As they approached, they spotted Riggs looking concerned "Hey Riggs! Where's Mana?" Lillain asked with a puzzled stare "I don't know! She left some note saying she was off to train a Mutt or something and I haven't seen her since!" "Oh... Maybe she made a dog friend and is playing with it somewhere..." "..." Riggs still looked shaken and concerned. Lillain was about to offer aid but Riggs sprinted away before the first word even formed in her mouth. It was clear he wasn't going to waste time chatting with them. So now they were left concerned. Though the sound of Lillain's stomach complaining brought them back to present. They'd have to catch up with Riggs later and see if he'd found Mana

The pairs meal was quick, both parties wolfing down as fast as they could before slamming down payment and dashing out. They ran all over the slums looking for Riggs but there was no trace of him or Mana around. The only place they could be in the capital was in the upper city. And the clear side-eye from the guards told them that wasn't an option for them. So they settled in front of the Inn and waited for one or both of them to turn up.

Eventually, they spotted Riggs frame returning, someone cradled in his arms. Upon closer inspection, the latter was Mana curled up with her face awkwardly buried against Rigg's chest plate. Neither looked too pleased and the other pair ushered them inside the Inn quietly. They'd wait till both were ready before asking anything...


	8. The Eighth Thorn and the Glimpse of Depravity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group follows up with Mana and learns the horrors she'd witnessed.  
> Some revelations and a plan set in motion, with the first stop being Hasta...  
> But first, some ship bound bonding and a hint of something lurking...

After roughly an hour of Mana silently snuggling against Riggs while he soothed her and the other pair idled at a comfortable distance, she finally relaxed and turned her attention to the others "Oh hey Lily... Crucis..." Her voice was soft and drained. Lillain approached and knelt so she was eye level with Mana "May I ask what had the great scientist Mana so spooked?" She asked, gently touching the other young woman's shoulder. Mana bit her lip and took a slightly shaky inhale before uttering "You may..."

* * *

_Mana had been hot on the heels of another wanted Bandit known only as Mutt. The filthy butt had been known to use nasty gas bombs while robbing nobles. And Mana had been collateral more than once, so she had a slight grudge._

_She tracked him to a strange sewer grate. Slipping casually in the gaps, she could feel the cold rushing past her legs. Then something solid brushed past her. She expected maybe a twig or some other debris, but when she looked down her face turned ghastly pale._

_Discolored human remains drifted past her legs, parts coming free from the barely cloth bound frame. She chanted softly to herself and raised herself out of the waters with levitate just as another corpse floated after the first. Still, she could hear Mutt's footsteps splashing ahead. She continued to make a path above the water with her spells till she tired herself out at the edge of a stairwell that seemed to stop off in the sewer._

_She paused to listen for Mutt's footfalls and sure enough she caught the lingering echo of their retreat. She bounded over to the step and ran up before whirling and watching a blade swing a foot from her face. Now she had to dodge death traps..._

_Deep breath and a carefully timed rush with her broom and she was clear of the first trap. Though she found herself dodging several more in succession. Now the sound of Mutt's steps were lost in the creaking and whooshing as well as the blood rising in her ears. She scanned around, only to be faced with more grim sights. More bodies in varying states of decay chained to the nearby walls... One of which was dressed in a way she remembered Riggs describing to her..._

_She couldn't fight the rising bile and turned away sputtering. Suddenly all the vim and vigor she had was gone with her stomach contents. She was almost completely lost in her own fear, grasping around for comfort, when a voice called out "Whose there?!"_

_She now was face to face with one of the Kingdoms' knights. She stumbled backward, trying to cast while struggling to avoid their now poised and swinging blade. She finally managed to get off the strongest form of her electric spell and watched the knight writhe and convulse from the shock before falling down motionless. She couldn't look at the now severely burned body before her._

_She had certainly killed monsters before but another humanoid was a different story. She felt almost disconnected as she felt herself take off aimlessly further in. A blind rush for some exit._

_Her legs screaming with pain about a half-hour later as she came to a stop outside a strange door. From inside, she could hear shrieks of pain and pleas of mercy. Then a particularly loud, desperate cry melded with the whirring of some unknown mechanism, becoming the worst sound Mana's ears had the misfortune of being subjected to._

_She felt herself casting, though the spell itself was blinked from thought once it completed. And once it resolved, she was back outside of what she now registered as the castle of the Divine King. She felt dizzy and her legs lost their stability. But before she hit the ground, familiar gauntlets gripped her trembling shoulders. She could see Riggs mouthing her name but her hearing remained deafened from the earlier incident. All she could do was snuggle against him as he adjusted her to a bridal carry and walked away from the hell hole she'd narrowly escaped..._

* * *

Now she watched the faces of those she called allies contort with disgust. Even the stoic shinobi was looking green. Mana couldn't blame them. If it weren't dangerous, she'd erase her memories of the incident.

Still, the most heart-wrenching expression belonged to her longest companion. Riggs was quaking now, tears welling in his eyes and running streaks through his war paint "...Not Raine..." he mumbled numbly. Mana wrapped her arms around his neck, catching the distraught warrior off guard. Then she felt his arms embrace her hard.

She nestled her head as best she could into the crook of his neck and he did the same. Then she heard something violently hit wood and then retreating footfalls setting off in a frenzied run. She could hear Crucis calling out for Lily but neither she nor Riggs seemed ready to move. Let Crucis handle that one. Riggs needed healing right now...

Lillain was about to make a dash for the nearest means of getting into the upper city. Now she wasn't in the mood to play nice anymore. She leveled her blade to the knights in charge of the lift " **HEY!** Didn't we-" The knight was cut off by Lillain nearly slamming her hilt into the side of his head while his ally shouted for her to cease. She was halted by someone's arms locking her own behind her "Cool it..." Crucis' voice whispered cooly but Lillain was having none of this "How long do I have to play their petty games while they slaughter and torture people in their ivory shithole?!" She snarled, her glare cutting through the other knight "You need to be rational... Bull-headed charging is going to get you **killed**!" he hissed. Soon other knights would be on their way.

The pair couldn't stay here now. Crucis adjusted his hold to pin her struggling arms against her and lept backward, a smoke bomb slipping from his person and triggering in front of them. He carried her cursing and struggling frame out of the gates. Hauling her as far as he could, given her constant objections and squirming. Eventually, he plopped her to the ground. She was ready to tear into him but he covered her mouth "Stop and THINK!" he hissed through clenched teeth "You wanna rush to your death?" She bit his palm in response but his hand didn't budge. Instead, his glare narrowed "Do you think going feral is going to win against them?! You can't even stop me from silencing you with your half-assed biting! I'm **NOT** letting you go off to die like a dumbass!" A growl came muffled as he felt her teeth release his hand and a barely audible "why?" followed. Crucis sighed "Because, in spite of your shit attitude at the moment, I'm fond of your dumbass...So **STOP** thinking ramming speed is going to get you anywhere!" Then he withdrew his hand completely.

Her expression bitter but she couldn't deny he had a point. She bit the inside of her mouth slightly in frustration. The taste of blood seeping where her canines had dug in. She watched him turn away "So what now?! Do we keep cowering in the slums?" "No, we go hunting for means to take them down **THEN** we break in and shred those that deserve it most" Then the sound of rushing footstep drew closer. Both were about to attack the source until they realized who it was.

Standing with a hardened stare and carrying the smaller witch in his arms, Riggs came to a stop in front of them "If you're looking for means to break those pricks, I know a place" Any softness from the other nights bonding was stripped from the warrior's visage. Now only the fires of anger seemed to boil within him. Lillain rose to her feet and placed a hand on his arm "Lead the way"

* * *

The party slipped back into the slums, despite the confusion and Riggs led them to the bar. It was surprisingly clear of knights but it wouldn't stay that way for long. Riggs trotted straight towards a rather diminutive man seated near the back "Hey Balenno, we need a ride to Hasta and quick. Think you'd be willing to help?" The man looked up from his tankard with a slightly curious expression "Certainly, since ya helped with that one time, Riggs. That the whole of your crew?" he gestured to the empress and shinobi since Mana was still riding safely in Riggs's arms. Riggs nodded "We'll meet ya at the dock" he added before ushering the group out upon Balenno's nod of confirmation. The party then sheathed their way to the docks and Riggs found Balenno's ship. He ushered the group aboard and tucked them below deck. They waited with bated breath till Balenno could be heard above deck. It was in that gap that Mana found a scrap of cloth tucked into her book somehow. Despite its degradation, she could make out the image of a calf. She chanted a restoration spell and the cloth was renewed. Riggs watched and his face contorted back to near tears. She handed the cloth to him and he stashed it on his person. He gave her an 'I'll explain later look' before they were found by the ship's captain and informed they'd be leaving shortly. They remained hidden until they were out of port and braced themselves for the rough trip ahead.

Once the all-clear was given, Lillain and Crucis went topside while Mana and Riggs stayed in the cabin. Mana gave Riggs a concerned look, snuggling close. She watched him draw a nervous breath before starting "You remember how I told you about my sister?" "Mhm... That cloth belonged to her, right?" "...Yeah, Ma weaved them for us back before..." He paused and she reached for his nearest hand "You don't have to go further... Just relax Riggsy" "Thanks Mana...Sorry, you keep having to-" Her free hand shot up and shushed him "No more Riggs! We are two halves of a unit, remember?" Riggs nodded and a soft smile crept onto his lips "...Thanks, Mana"

* * *

Meanwhile, Lillain and Crucis were drafted to help with things on deck, mainly lifting and rearranging cargo as the captain saw fit. After roughly twenty minutes they were given a break to enjoy the view. Lillain leaned cautiously on the nearest rail and stared into the drawing twilight while Crucis kept a bit of distance "Have you sailed before Crucis?" Lillain piped up "A few times...Not the biggest fan... Take it you haven't?" "Never left the village if dad could help it" "Chief kept you close at hand" "My treasured daughters need to remain safe at all times" She uttered, imitating the man's gruff tone as best she could "...I miss that stubborn old man..." Crucis crossed the gap and rested a hand on her shoulder. He could feel her tense and heard a stifled sniffle "It's ok to grieve them..." he uttered "...I know, I'm just not ready to..." "No one ever is..." She turned and embraced Crucis who momentarily froze before lightly reciprocating the embrace. The world seemed calm for the moment, but hints of something rocking the ship slightly harder than the current waves left an uneasy feeling in everyone on board...


End file.
